The government of Meghalaya has officially announced its support for an Indian esports team, Jubilant Divine Esports. This makes Meghalaya the first Indian state to officially sponsor an esports team. Additionally, Telangana is likely to be the first state to introduce comprehensive esports policies.
Wanshankupar Suchiang, CEO of Jubilant Divine Esports, told StoryBoard18, “We are extremely proud that the Meghalaya government believed in our vision and supported us. We aim to grow esports in the state. Our goal is to prepare for medal events in the Olympics and to compete in esports titles globally.”
Suchiang further stated, “Currently, we have our Battlegrounds Mobile India roster, but we are planning to expand into other game titles such as Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, and Dota, among others. It always benefits the ecosystem when the government shares the same vision of growing esports in the country.”
Suchiang said, “The government sponsoring the team is a positive sign for the Indian gaming ecosystem. We truly believe that India has a huge potential in not only gaming but in esports as well.”
Meghalaya-based Jubilant Divine Esports announced on its social media platforms, “In a landmark move for the esports community in Meghalaya, Shri Kyrmen Shylla, Minister of Excise, along with Meghalaya Sports Minister Shri Shakliar Warjri, have publicly shown their support for esports for the first time ever.”
“Shri Kyrmen Shylla has extended his support to Jubilant Divine Esports, the only team representing Meghalaya in the ongoing BMPS Tournament. The ministers emphasized that this is just the beginning, as they plan to work closely with the Meghalaya government to transform the state into a hub for esports.”
Meghalaya’s vision includes developing esports infrastructure, hosting tournaments, and providing comprehensive support to players, with the aim of bringing them to the forefront and representing Meghalaya, and India, on the global stage, including in future esports Olympics.
The team will be participating in Krafton’s third edition of the Battlegrounds Mobile India Pro Series 2024. BMPS is set to kick off on August 20th, featuring 128 invited teams competing for a massive prize pool of Rs 2 Crore. The tournament will unfold over a month, with the league phase played online and the Grand Finals taking place offline in Kochi, Kerala, from September 27th to September 29th, 2024.